


Reap What You Sow

by shiveringhand



Category: The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:14:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26480056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shiveringhand/pseuds/shiveringhand
Summary: A fluffy one shot AU in which Ellie never left the farm.
Relationships: Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 122





	Reap What You Sow

**Author's Note:**

> This story is best served with some fast paced and wholesome banjo tunes such as Chris Thile's Leaves Fall.

"Babe," Dina’s soft whisper startles Ellie awake in their shared bed, but only barely. “Babe!” she calls out a little louder this time.

"Hmh…" Ellie frowns, asleep. A slight breeze from a narrowly open window waves a pair of white curtains. 

"The chicken." Dina reminds her and inches closer aligning her body against Ellie’s back, like a big spoon. 

"Mhmm... Those bastards can wait," Ellie moans, pulling the blanket over her face. 

“Oh, you think so?” Dina ruffles her wife’s short brown hair.

Dina lands a kiss on her nose before getting up herself. “Don’t forget to check the rash,” she reminds the other, disappearing into the bathroom. 

“Yeah.” 

Ellie sits by the edge of the bed for a moment, scratching her armpit and wonders if she could sleep five more minutes, just while Dina’s in the bathroom. Maybe she wouldn’t notice. But when JJ doesn’t show any signs of calming down, Ellie stands up, yawning and stretching her arms and walks over to him.

“Hey there big boy,” she coos. “Somebody’s up early!”

JJ bawls, red faced, standing at the edge of his crib, clutching to its side. Ellie scoops him up hushing, and petting the soft little tuft of hair on top of his head.

“All good, all good,” she calms him. 

After getting his diaper changed and being dressed up in a new dinosaur pattern onesie JJ seems satisfied. He giggles as Ellie walks downstairs to get him a bottle of milk from the fridge. 

“Looks like today’s going to be another hot day, doesn’t it, J?” Ellie peers through the window and admires the mountain tops in the horizon. They look like a majestic golden crown around the valley, glistening bright in the sun.

“Eat up, boy. We’ve got a long day ahead of us!” 

Ellie takes a seat on the edge of a couch and rubs JJ’s toes absentmindedly as feeds. Her mind wanders into something she forgot to mention last night. Was it the snares by the lake? Something about the wallpaper in their hobby room? She frowns, trying very hard to think of whatever it was about. 

“Everything alright, babe?” Dina asks, walking down the stairs. 

“Huh? Yeah. I was just…” Ellie mumbles, rubbing her itching nose. “We ought to buy him a hat.”

“True. Did you check the rash?” Dina goes into the kitchen to set a table for breakfast.

“Shit! I forgot,” Ellie replies and starts undressing JJ while he eats. The boy’s not all too happy about the interruption and tries to kick her mother’s hands away. 

Dina puts a bowl down and comes to help pull the fabric aside to reveal JJ’s belly. “Looks a little less red, I’d say?”

“Yeah,” Ellie agrees. “Where’s the lotion?”

“Upstairs, I’ll go fetch it.” 

After JJ’s done eating and had his rash treated, Dina helps attach him on Ellie's chest with a piece of cloth. 

"Ait, J-Rex and I are off to hunt!" Ellie roars and approaches Dina imitating a dinosaur, one arm extended like a claw, the other, firmly tied around JJ's butt.

Dina laughs and grabs Ellie's chin to better aim a kiss on her mouth, "Have fun!"

The air feels brisk on Ellie's bare arms but she doesn't mind it. Taking a deep and satisfied breath of that fresh mountain air, she steps down the porch and walks across the yard in nothing but the white tank top and sweatpants she slept in. The wheats in their yard are still a little moist from the dew, and they glitter like diamonds when light hits them.

Ellie unties the rope functioning as a lock on the fence around the chicken coop and locks it back up before crouching in front of the small wooden house. JJ lets out a small confused moan when Ellie leans forward, reaching for the hatch, to open up the back of the coop.

"You're absolutely correct, baby bird, eggs are an important part of the breakfast," Ellie replies and carefully picks up a few warm ones closest to the door. "Mornin' ladies!" she then addresses the chicken with an accent southern enough to be nothing but a remnant of Joel’s way of speaking. A few chickens move around cackling and hopping down, knowing there will be food soon. The ones still nesting get gently lifted by Ellie and placed back on their roosts after she's gotten what she's looking for. "Thank you very much!" 

Ellie feeds the chicken, changes fresh hay in place of the old ones and walks back inside. The smell of crispy potato pancakes greets her by the door. "Yuum!" she exclaims to announce their return. 

"Welcome back," Dina smiles, eyes fixated on the big cast iron pan where the cakes are frying.

"It's pretty frisky out but I bet by noon we'll be lucky if we get a single cloud." Ellie walks over to Dina and rests her chin on the other's shoulder, inhaling the greasy vapors steaming off the pan. "Smells delicious!" 

"Can you serve the tea, please?" the handy chef requests and grabs two fresh eggs from Ellie to fry them sunny side up.

"Sure! Lemme just run upstairs real quick to dress up," Ellie places the egg basket on the kitchen counter and struggles but manages to untie the knot on her back. She places JJ in a highchair by the dinner table and lands a big wet smooch on his forehead, making the boy coo charmingly once more. Then she climbs up the stairs to go wash up and change. 

Dina serves the pancakes and fried eggs, puts fresh water for a bouquet of daisies and folds cloth napkins for the table. "Pretty, eh?" she asks JJ, leaning back to admire her work.

The boy blinks his big brown eyes, babbling a reply. Ellie comes back downstairs. On top of a fresh white tank top she wears an open button up t-shirt and a pair of jeans. 

"Pretty indeed," Dina mutters under her breath goofily at the sight of her, loud enough to make Ellie chuckle and ruffle her hair a little blushed.

"Oh you!" 

Ellie boils water and serves tea. 

___ 

After they're done eating breakfast Dina picks up a small notebook and a pen. "Alright, things we need from Jackson tomorrow," she says, getting ready to put ink on the paper.

JJ plays with his toys on the floor, occasionally falling over a gigantic hand sewn giraffe plushie Jesse’s mother has made. 

Ellie stretches her arms, leaning back in the chair and extends a yawn into a noise of thinking, "Uuh, you wrote down barb wire for the fence, right?"

"Yea," Dina nods, searching for the right page. "That and the nails."

"Right. A few more jars for pickling veggies maybe?" 

"Mm-hmm," Dina agrees. "I have a feeling this fall we'll get the biggest harvest yet."

"If only the tractor worked and we wouldn't have to pick the wheat by hand," Ellie sighs, running a hand over her face, smiling behind her palm sheepishly. She's been trying to figure out the problem with its engine for a while now. 

"Told you to just ask Phil for help," Dina reminds softly, writing something down.

"Nah, I'm pretty sure it’s the leaky piston rings. I’ve been meaning to talk to the blacksmith about it.”

"Well, let's check in town tomorrow. Who knows, maybe someone's got them," Dina reassures her wife. 

Ellie lets out a small thoughtful huff, "Yea, let's."

"I'm gonna work on fixing the barn roof today as I told you," Dina says, standing up and dusting her hands.

"Right!" Ellie straightens her back and starts collecting empty plates and cutlery. "I'll check the snares after the dishes and do some laundry. I guess we’ll need to change the sheets soon as well.”

Dina agrees and picks JJ up. Ellie helps her wrap the baby comfortably to her back with the cloth and hugs both of them before getting on with her chores.

___

The small family works hard until late in the afternoon, each with their own tasks. The landscape before their yard keeps changing according to the phases of the sun, a herd of moose passes by the valley in the distance and swallows teach flying to their youth at the edge of the forest. Suddenly the peaceful afternoon silence gets interrupted by the loud huffing and puffing of the tractor engine. Ellie shouts triumphantly and shakes the wrench in her fist. 

“Fuck yes,” she pants, standing up from underneath the machine. Her face is black from grease stains and dust. She goes indoors to get a glass of water and to wash her hands and face before heading down to the barn to tell Dina of her success. 

“Turns out all I had to do was just change the spark plug wire,” Ellie tells, clearly proud of her handiwork.

“Alright! That’s awesome, babe,” Dina congratulates her, putting down her tools to kiss Ellie. 

“Roof's looking good," Ellie comments, "I'm sure the animals agree," she pats a wooden board eyeing the empty stalls of their sheep that are currently outside. 

"Thanks," Dina smiles, proud of her work too. 

JJ has fallen asleep and drools against her mother’s shoulder blade in the baby wrap. 

\---

In the evening, when the hardworking couple has time to rest a little after an early dinner, Ellie lays on the couch, toes buried under Dina’s thigh, and reads a comic chucking to herself every two minutes. Dina sits on the opposite end of the couch and browses an old copy of the Jackson Times magazine. The room is dimly lit by a small lantern on the coffee table and the fleeting rays of sun, just before it sets behind the mountain range in all of its orange glory.

Both his parents' eyes temporarily away from him, JJ stands up with effort and supports his weight on the much loved stuffed giraffe. He sways back and forth for a while, almost falling down on his butt but instead, manages to grab the giraffe’s ear and pulls himself back up. He takes an unsure step, then two, doubting himself unsure if that’s something he’s supposed to do. With a slightly horrified look on his face he lets out a confused coo, startling his parents from their deeds.

“Oh my gosh!” Dina gasps and puts down her magazine. 

Ellie fits her gaze from the comic book just in time to see JJ walk across the carpet and face plants straight into a decorative pillow. His delighted giggle gets muffled by the soft fabric. The proud parents look at each other in amazement.

“Did you see that?” Dina asks, astonished.

“Yeah!” Ellie grins, getting up from the couch and kneeling down next to JJ. “Who taught you that, huh?” she laughs, grabbing the baby in her arms and carrying him to Dina.

“What a big boy you are!” Dina smiles, hugging him tight. 

JJ sneezes and coos proudly. 

Ellie wipes his nose on her sleeve and continues to look amazed. “Wow,” is all she manages to say.

“They grow up so fast!” Dina jokes and they both laugh wholeheartedly.

\---

After sunset, Ellie makes a pot of herbal tea and settles in an armchair on the front porch, thick woolen blanket around her. She feels cozy and at peace, watching the stars light up one by one on the vast dark canvas before her. She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes and sort of prays, the way Dina has taught her, thanking, remembering, accepting, or at least trying to. The tea is too hot to drink just yet. 

“Just set the dough to proof overnight,” Dina says softly as she joins Ellie on the porch. 

“You talking Jay bird or the bread?”

“What? The bread of course, you silly,” Dina laughs and cuddles up her wife under a thick felt blanket. 

They sit in silence, listening to the nocturnal sounds of the forest; wind howling softly in the treetops and the wheats below, crickets chirping. An owl hoots, declaring its presence as the king of the woods.

“Can’t believe he knows how to walk now!” Ellie smiles, resting her cheek against Dina’s shoulder. 

“I know right!”

“Soon we’ll have to have him on a leash with the dog,” Ellie jokes.

“I thought we agreed on getting a cat?”

“Did we? I don’t remember that conversation?” Ellie doubts. “‘Cause we’re definitely getting a dog.”

“Dog’s are loud and messy,” Dina points out. 

“Perfect!”

Dina shakes her head amused. 

“Hey, look! A shooting star! Quick, make a wish!” Ellie gasps, pointing a toe towards the sky. Doing so lifts the hem of the blanket, letting cold air in.

“Ow, put your leg down, I’m cold!” Dina laughs, pulling the blanket and huddling in for warmth. 

“Oops,” Ellie grins, goofy frown melting into a smile as she observes Dina’s struggle to get comfortable again. “What’d you wish for, baby?” she asks then, gently, and can’t help brushing a curl behind her wife’s ear once the other has managed to settle down. 

Dina leans in for a kiss and stays there, allowing their foreheads to press together as she speaks. “This,” she whispers, grabbing Ellie’s hand under the blanket. “Just this.”


End file.
